PM Skerrit speaks about $1.2 billion at St Joseph candidate launch

Among the massive crowd, Dominica Labour Party launched its candidate Dr Adis King from St Joseph constituency on Sunday evening. The event which was organized at Playing Field in St Joseph had much importance as Prime Minister of Commonwealth of Dominica, Dr Roosevelt Skerrit took that stage to counterblow opposition’s allegations over $1.2 billion embezzlement in government funds.

Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister said that the figure ($1.2 billion) makes absolutely no sense, “in any currency, in any language $1 billion is a lot of money. A billion dollars represents at least one fourth and realistically half or one-third of your total national budget. They (Opposition) speak as if a Prime Minister or Minister of Government can walk into the treasury and take money, or collude with someone to remove a stash of dough in the middle of the night. But the opposition makes no sense on their allegations, this latest craze is being pushed by forces outside of Dominica and another bit of plagiarism by the leader of UWP.”

While talking about the propaganda – Where De Money Gone? – of UWP under the leadership of Lennox Linton, Dr Skerrit termed it as a resumption of Fergie Derrick’s campaign in Antigua who coined the phrase ‘Where De Money Gone?’ during his campaign against auditing of Antigua’s Medical Benefits Scheme. “Lennox Linton has brazenly stolen an Antiguan slang and is peddling it around Dominica today as his very own. The man does not have an original thought in his head, but he loves sensationalism. He desperately needs an issue to keep his faltering campaign alive.”

“I say to Lennox Linton, that if the then government in Antigua did not answer the question about where the medical benefits money went, this Labour Party government in Dominica, will, from September 19th of this year, show exactly where and how every single cent was raised and spent, for and on behalf of the people of Dominica, and in furtherance of the development of this country,” Prime Minister asserted.

During his address to the public, PM mostly used his time to lash out opposition leader Lennox Linton and explaining his (Lennox’s) plans to ambush Dominica by the outsiders.

While lauding St Joseph’s candidate, Dr Skerrit said that Dr Adis King is one with a bright future, she is a daughter of this community and a professional who is respected among her peers, “I have a place in the next government of Dominica for Dr Adis King.”

“Dr Addis King should be a role model for all women in Dominica. She turned adversity into opportunity and opportunity into success and progress. She is the new face of Labour and I have St. Joseph counted among the sure seats of Labour,” said PM.

Along with that Prime Minister stated that on September 8th the DLP cavalcade will reach to Salybia in Kalinago territory to launch its candidate Cozier Frederick and on 15th the party will head to Grand Bay to launch Edward Registe.

While Dr Adis King started over by welcoming the people of the constituency at the event venue, she said, “We say to you welcome to the constituency with the best beach in Dominica, the constituency with Dominica’s largest river and beautiful waterfalls and the constituency of the most hardworking farmers in the country and welcome to the home  of Dominica Labour Party.”

Dr King described her launch day as the proudest moment of her life and shared her inspiration of serving the nation. She said, “Today is one of the proudest moments in my life I stand before you as a proud daughter, a wife, a mother, a medical doctor and proud Dominican, and very soon parliament representative of this constituency.”

In addition to this, she called upon her family history to serve people as her great grandfather had awarded with a medal and her late grandfather Austin King served as village council chairman for many years and president of Dominica association of persons with disabilities, so she will also take the legacy forward by serving Dominica.

DLP candidate from St Joseph said that there has been an amazing development in the country most especially in St. Joseph constituency in means of infrastructure and roads, she said. “We cannot imagine our lives without Edward Oliver Leblanc Highway and concrete roads in Mero and St. Joseph and other parts of the nation.”